But my ego is bruised, and I’m too tired not to relax into him.
He smells delicious, but I refrain from inhaling. It’s already humiliating enough that he not only caught me lurking, but I also don’t need to add that to the growing list of things I have done today that I regret.
I should have just stayed in bed.
“I’ll be right back.” He places me down, and I nod as he leaves me alone with my thoughts.
Not a good thing if you ask me.
Now, without him here, I get to chastise myself.
I really am the biggest idiot ever. Who goes down a shady, dark path in an evil lair filled with criminals?
Me.
Apparently, that’s who.
Could this day get any worse?
A minute later, he returns. This time he’s carrying peroxide.
Great. Now he has to care for me too.
It’s not easy to hold on to hate when the dick is being so nice.
My hands are trembling as I brace myself for Gideon to clean out the cut. His touch is surprisingly gentle, but it’s the look in his eyes that is anything but.
They speak of need, lust, and desire.
I shiver.
“What’s wrong?”
“Just cold,” I mumble back, looking anywhere but at him. My gaze wanders around the room for something to focus on, because if I don’t, I might melt into a puddle as he takes care of me.
“Sorry about that.” His warm hands continue to touch me, and my breathing feels labored. Fingers run up my calf. My eyes flutter closed. His touch feels so good.
“Why were you running?” His voice is rough around the edges.
“I—”
“Tell me.” His deep baritone has me looking back up at him.
My hand drops to the hem of my shirt, twisting the material between my fingers. “I was scared.”
His brows knit together, two small lines forming between them. “Did someone scare you, firefly?”
I nod, looking down.
His fingers lift my chin so our gazes meet again. “Who scared you?”
I shake my head back and forth, his threat from the other day playing in my head. “He didn’t touch me. He didn’t do anything.”
“Who.”
“The guard. The one from the pool.”
His gaze turns murderous. An involuntary shiver works its way down my back.